"Slow Motion is Better than No Motion"

Aaah, the mind of 13/14 year olds.  One of my students said this as he painfully handed over one of his papers to me.  I sat there, watching the paper move at a glacial pace....waiting and feeling a bit like a parent of an uncomplying 2 year old....and it just popped out of his mouth, unprovoked:

"Slow motion is better than no motion"

I looked at him quizzically, wondering if he was fully aware of what just happened passed his lips, and he repeated himself very matter-of-fact-ly, as though he were giving me driving directions or restating what he'd had for lunch the day before.  I nodded, going over the quote in my head and just replied, "Huh."  He must have thought I still didn't understand because he insisted "Well, it's true!" to which I laughed because I was already convinced of that fact and found his insistence of the matter rather endearing.


And it is.  It's quite true.  "Slow motion is better than no motion".  If it isn't making sense to you immediately, take a moment to think about it.  I think especially today, we far too often think that if something can't be done immediately it's not worth our time, or we give up as a result of the need for patience.  Or, similarly, we become frustrated, annoyed, perturbed, bothered, etc by tasks that we feel should be accomplished quickly and aren't. (After all, isn't that what cell phones are for?  So that you can respond to my every whim the INSTANT I need something from you?)  Even something like goals, that are almost by definition "long term", can appear daunting and impossible because we do not see how we can accomplish them by tomorrow.  So, instead, we give up or say "I'll do it later" because we feel it's just better to not bother than to start something we can't finish (now).  But maybe like my student suggested today, slow motion - even if that means the act of beginning a task or long-term goal - is better than deciding against it altogether.  Sometimes those long-term timelines aren't fully within our control.  After all, we can't control the future we can only try to prepare ourselves as best as possible.  So, again, maybe it's better to start the ball rolling, even if it seems to only cover inches instead of miles, than to leave it gathering dust because we don't see the immediate point / reward.  


Now, you just need to give yourself a little push . . . . 

Alabama Tim "Speaks English"

Yahoo news produced an article regarding Alabama's Tim James, who is running for a government office.  In the article, they cite his latest TV ad campaign:  "Speak English".  According to the Yahoo Article, Tim suggests that this measure will help save money (later going on to mention that tests will be given in English only if he is elected). 

"This is Alabama," he says.  "We speak English". 

Do you?

Or maybe you're from New York City, where this propaganda and message has been boldly and inadvertantly displayed for years.  "LEARN ENGLISH" runs rampid on the streets and signs of New York City.  However, this addresses a recent debate:  Withouth the US having any nationally recognized or elicitly predetermined national language, is it fair to expect that people coming to America should know, learn, or speak English? 

I'm not siding here.  The point of this is to send the question out to you.  What's your argument and why?  I have my own points of view, and I can see both sides of the story.  But, if this ad or the NYC's stance angers you - why?  If you agree - how come or how do you feel about those who oppose?  As a language teacher, I promote the use, knowledge, and acquisition of 2nd, 3rd, and 4th languages.  However, this does not mean that I am pro or against the reality of the need for a set national / nationally recognized language. 

What are your thoughts?  Do you "Speak English"?

Tough Love Couples

I've become a reality TV junkie for certain things.  I have my vices, including Project Runway, America's Best Dance Crew, America's Next Top Model, and Tough Love.  However, Tough Love came out with a new show:  Tough Love Couples.  LOVE IT!  It's a little like The Tool Academy but more practical.  And the most recent one was awesome:  sex life and trust.  


Eek!  Cover your ears - such a taboo word!  Sex!  Yes, I said it and I will happily say it again: SEX.  I will talk about it until I die, because it is just that important.  I don't mean you need to flaunt your sex life or be promiscuous.  In fact, far from it, but being comfortable enough to have an open sex life with your partner (b/f, g/f, husband, wife) is extremely important. Whether that means trying new things, introducing toys, listening to one another and putting the other first, reciprocating, etc, communication, trust, and confidence are key.  And that's what this episode of Tough Love Couples was trying to convey.  Why are certain areas of your relationship weak?  Is it a sex issue or is it a sex issue because of a self-confidence or partner trust issue?  More than likely if there are problems in your relationship or within you yourself (aka outside the bedroom) then there are probably problems in the bedroom as well, and in order for a relationship to be really healthy and nurturing to both parties, all areas of your relationship have to be working properly (no pun intended!)


Again, the thing I love about this show is its "in your face" reality and how it forces you to not only look at the couples on TV, but also yourself and your relationship.  And, of course, the topic of the day is always fun, and this particular week entertaining and interesting.  However, even more than that, I enjoy the reflective piece of the show.  If you haven't watched it yet, and you like these kinds of reality shows, you should definitely check it out.  

Peanut Butter Wonder(ful)!

There's a peanut butter secret I discovered two years ago while visiting a friend in New York City.  It's called "Peanut Butter & Co", and it's a New York based Peanut Butter phenomenon.  Located in Greenwich Village, near NYU, this tiny little storefront is just a smidgen of a glance at the wonders of peanut butter.  Happily making sandwiches, snacks, and "bite size" samples for the eager customers that taste their way through the store, Peanut Butter & Co has carved a niche for iteself in the peanut butter world.


Ok, so I've said "peanut butter" a lot already, and you're probably sitting there reading this going "yeah yeah, so what?  There's always JIF, Skippy, Reese's, Earth Balance, and a myriad of other peanut butter companies, so why should I care?"  Well, if that's your argument you clearly have been missing out!  This is not just your everyday peanut butter company!  This is big news people!  


Not only does Peanut Butter & Co create peanut butter varieties that no one else has even attempted, but the actual peanut butter itself covers every type of dietary need.  You can find ones that are kosher, vegan, without hydrogenated oils, without high fructose corn-syrup, without cholesterol or trans-fat, and even gluten-free!

My personal favorite is the White Chocolate Wonderful, which caters to all of the above mentioned dietary requirements!  I also like The Bees Knees (with honey), Mighty Maple (with maple syrup) and Cinnamon Raisin Swirl (perfect of pairing with celery sticks!).  Just check out their website http://ilovepeanutbutter.com/index.php/sandwichshop and see all the varieties for yourself!  You can even buy gift sets online and send them to other peanut butter connoisseurs like yourself!  Any and all self-respecting peanut butter fanatics will go crazy for this company!  (and probably end up eating some of it straight from the jar with a spoon . . . not, of course, that I've ever done that . . . *uhem* . . . I mean . . . )


So, grab a jar for yourself!  Treat yourself!  This is no ordinary PB experience!  Let me know if you have a favorite.  I also willingly accept gifts . . .   :-)


Bon appetit!

Mirror Mirror

Look in the mirror.  Who are you?  And what do you want to do with your life?  I don't mean to jokingly say "I want to be famous" or "I want to lay on the couch all day" I mean, really.  What do you really want to do with your life?


When was the last time you thought about that?  About what you want?  Maybe it was yesterday or only a few hours ago, but maybe you can't truly or honestly answer that question.  Maybe you just don't know.  


It's a scary thing, asking yourself what you want out of life and what you want for yourself.  Too often we become bombarded with routine and the mundane, the general requirements of life:  pay bills, feed yourself or your family, get to soccer practice or work. All of these are legitimate reasons to forgo answering the question - or so you let yourself believe - but too often we allow ourselves to fall out of focus, becoming the viewers of our lives as it passes as opposed to the principal actors of it.  Sometimes it's easier to never look yourself in the mirror and ask those two really important questions "Who am I? and What do I want out of life?" because just maybe the truth is, we never got to where we wanted to go.  


Ask a child or a high schooler what he wants to do with his life and he'll probably give you an answer void of reason or understanding of the everyday world.  He'll give you an answer (we'll assume here it's a serious answer and not a joking response) driven by desire and curiosity - a combination of what he loves, what he wants to learn more about, and what will make him feel like a success.  Now just take a minute to think about your situation.  Are you the adult version your teenage self had envisioned?  If you are, congratulations, you are the minority.  If you're not, know you're not alone.  But maybe it's time you re-evaluated who you are, where you are, and what you want out of life.  I'm not saying drop everything and move to Bora-Bora, but maybe you make minor changes:  eat home a few nights a week to save for that trip you've always wanted.  Maybe you start writing or taking photographs because it's what you used to love doing and it gives you a sense of joy and fulfillment.  Maybe you find a club or local team to become a part of.  


Regardless, take the time to reconnect with yourself.  It may be a hard road to uncover, but you may just find yourself smiling a little more as a result, walking lighter on your feet, or feeling more fulfilled and happy.  At the very least, you took the time to remind yourself of the importance of You, and that is never a bad investment.

Vocabulary?

Do you remember growing up and hearing things like "You don't know what it means?  Look it up in the dictionary" or "Maybe if you read more you'd have a bigger vocabulary" or "You used the word 'great' six times in the paragraph.  Find a synonym." from adults?  Those were dreaded words - words that required thought and ultimately more effort on your part.  Boo.  Stupid adults.  I never liked hearing those words either.


Except . . . according to all legal paperwork and social norms . . . and of course my students . . . I am now an adult.  (*insert congratulatory sounds here*)  YAY!  This means that I should now, after years of being a student and hearing the aforementioned words, be able to proudly use my newfound vocabulary.  It also means that I have the pleasure of saying things like "Maybe if you read more, you'd have a bigger vocabulary" or "...dictionary."  or "You need to find a synonym for 'get'".  Finally!


However, one would think that with this kind of power comes excitement over its potential usage . . . something along the lines of "Ha Ha!  Now you must do as I say!" (*insert sense of gloating here*)  


Sadly, though, the truth is more often than not it pains me to have to use the phrases mentioned above.  Everyone always says "what's happening to the next generation?" but I have to wonder if there isn't some truth to the matter.  Today I used words like "prestige", "counterintuitive", "subsequent", "non sequitur" (ok, ok, that one I'll admit is a little out of normal vocabulary potential. . . but it's such a fun word!) and "abrasive", and all were met with "Huh?" / "English please" / "What does that mean?" / "non-what?!?"  It was a very unnerving moment.  I'm not blaming, but these sorts of words are not readily available on reality TV or in email or youtube videos.  They don't pop-up in today's movies or videogames, and if these are the fundamental portals utilized in students' free time, then what is to be expected?  It is just a slightly scary realization.


But wait . . . portal?  Damn!  What does "portal" mean????

Rock and a Hard Place

a.k.a. - Cash and My Sanity


Ever since "The Simpson's Movie", whenever I think of the saying "stuck between a rock and a hard place" I picture Homer swinging from the construction machine.  It's a blatantly obvious visual representation of the concept, but so obvious you can't help but laugh.  I thought about that visual tonight driving home, debating with myself over what I should be doing, except that my "rock and a hard place" are better known as "cash flow and my sanity".  And, let me tell you, that was a fun merry-go-round of an internal debate.  Every argument I could muster both supported and cut the legs off either side.  I couldn't win for losing.


A little background:  a friend was originally supposed to visit this weekend, and we had been semi planning / talking about it for about a month.  I'm 24 and just starting out my life and, like everyone else right now or at least those my age, I am working to make every dollar do as much as possible.  So, as a result of knowing I would probably be exploring Chicago all weekend with my friend, I had been saving for this weekend and sort of sacrificing my personal life with the mindset that I was doing so in order to be able to really enjoy a full weekend in the city.  Unfortunately, as you all know, plans often fail and life gets in the way and it ended up that my friend wasn't going to be able to make it.  Ok.  Cool.  New plan.  


Well, turns out new plan included numerous trips in and out of Chicago for rehearsals (aka gas and pay-boxes), the beginning of college loan repayments, the realization of one very empty fridge, and the nagging need for the social life that I had been planning on for a month.  So, I tried to balance the two.  Friday I went for a late dinner with a friend close to home.  Good.  Less money on gas than another trip to the city and still a social experience (check).  Today, however, included two different 45 minute one-way drives before anything else could happen.  That alone cost me 1/3 tank of gas, leaving me just under 1/4 full, meaning I needed gas.  So here is the thought process: 

• Gas required money, and I needed gas to go to the city for a going away party for an old co-worker.  
• However, going into the city meant paying for parking, cover, etc. - money I didn't have if I expected my bank account to last me until my next paycheck.  
• However, going to the GAP (going away party) meant participating in my much needed SL (social life).  
• YET....the GAP meant a depletion of money which meant stress for Stephanie for the next two weeks trying to keep a positive bank account....which would ultimately = a blow to my sanity.  
• However, forgoing the GAP meant more money in my pocket for needed things like food and gas, but the neglect of my already-put-on-hold-for-a-month social life = a blow to my sanity
• BUT, if I didn't go to the GAP I could have money for something social next weekend, maybe helping the SL and the sanity next weekend?
• However, that puts off my sanity for another week.....

And thus the vicious internal merry-go-round debate.  While I love the Homer Simpson rendition of this scenario, next time I'm hoping to get stuck between two slightly more comfortable nouns.  

Conversational Tourettes

I blame the coffee.
Well, I should just say I blame Starbucks.
Ok...actually, I just blame Starbucks' coffee at 6pm.  BAD IDEA!


Has this ever happened to you?  Maybe you're naturally a chatter, maybe you're not, but have you ever found yourself in one of those moods where you literally cannot shut up?  I mean, seriously cannot. stop. talking.  There's no "pause" button.  "Stop" doesn't even exist, and someone running the network in your brain jammed the "change the channel" button.  Everything is utterly important, and you can't seem to talk fast enough to get all of the information out before you switch to another topic.  You have suddenly become the next best candidate for emceeing a live auction.   


This doesn't happen to me often.  Don't get me wrong, like everyone else, get me on the right topic and I can definitely talk, but tonight was a rarity.  I probably happily could have told the wall my life story if I wasn't already heaving involved in typing my conversational tourettes episodes to my friend via IM.  Poor thing, and it was a guy too, so I felt worse for sending him the encyclopedia version of my day.  After I finished typing and sending all the different information "channel" bytes, I looked at my computer and immediately thought, "Oh . . . yeah, he's probably going to take one look at that and say 'um, F-that' and then laugh at me," which he basically did.  Although, can you blame him? We've all been on the receiving end at some point, and, come to think of it, I would especially imagine this happens to parents often.  I give you lots of credit.

(this is basically how I felt)

Regardless, I still blame the Venti Starbucks coffee at 6pm.  We are going to completely forgo the fact that I had to decide and purchase said drink in order to drink it, because I very much like the idea of blaming a 3rd party for tonight's subsequent state of craziness.  Luckily for you, my friend, and probably the wall, I am getting tired and shall go to bed soon - although probably not before running 200 circles around my house.  Ok...obviously that's an exaggeration, but you get the idea.  Best of luck to your family and friend next time you develop CT (that would be 'conversational tourettes', just shorter).  Luckily, it's only temporary!

Louis Vuitton Weighs in for Paris Fashion

Ok, so this posting is a few weeks late, I understand, but I recently had a discussion about this topic with a friend, so I wanted to share.


Everyone knows the fashion industry is notorious for promoting an extreme "thin" - women that are drastically thinner than the average woman, both American and worldly.  For as long as I can remember, any time a woman talks about clothing and trying on clothes, the "it looks so much better on the model" line always makes it in somehow.  And this is because clothing is art, and designers want their clothes to look and move exactly how they envisioned, so they use thin models for optimum perfection.  The focus is on the beauty of the clothes, their movement, their essence.  


However, this year, Louis Vuitton made a statement at France's fashion week when he broke away from tradition and used models that, for the industry, are considered large.  By my or most normal women's standards, these women are still small and beautiful, but Louis Vuitton faced heavy criticism from onlookers.  His models included 46 year old Australian top model, Elle Macpherson, and size 4 model, Lara Stone.  


I say Keep it Up Louis Vuitton!!!  More designers need to celebrate the figure of real women.  Maybe when I am a famous fashion designer I'll use size 6 models on my runway!

Kombucha

I am, through personal teachings, in love with healthy foods.  This doesn't mean I love fat-free / sugar-free / no-carb foods. . . because I don't think those are natural.  Give me real cheese, dark chocolate, organic Greek Yogurt, and whole grain bread with real butter and jam any day over Lite and Fit yogurt, fat-free buttery spread, diet drinks, etc.  I don't believe in artificial sweeteners nor that they are good for you at all.  I'm sorry, but something that can unclog a drain (I'm talking about (diet) coke) should not actually EVER be ingested.


On the other hand, I discovered a new organic drink.  I recently read Bethenny Frankel's Naturally Thin book, which was very close in scope and in lifestyle recommendations to MIreille Guiliano's French Women Don't Get Fat, which I read about 3 years ago.  In Bethenny's book, one of her recommendations is a morning drink which she finds has become her coffee replacement.  It's not coffee nor supremely caffeinated, but it is more like a cool, bubbly tea.  It's called Kombucha, and today I bought GT's Organic Raw Kombucha, Botnaic No. 7.  It's a berry red color and has orange peel, chamomile, ginger, and hibiscus in it in addition to the Kombucha.  

Kombucha, by the way, is a handmade Chinese tea.


Anyway, this specific type reminds me of ginger-ale with a slightly tangier citrus taste to it.  Now, I would NOT recommend it to you right away if you drink Coke or flavored coffee in the morning.  The change in taste and texture might be too much of a shock initially, and I would hate for you to miss out on a wonderful drink.  However, if you already find that you love teas, and even fruits that are a little bit more naturally tart, then this is a wonderful drink to try.  It's not cheap, per se, but it supposedly does wonderful things for your body.  Enjoy!  

Spain puts Easter on Parade

¡Bienvenido a Semana Santa!  

Welcome to Semana Santa.

This week, the week before Easter, is a time of somber and elaborate festivities in Spain.  While initially the festivities around Semana Santa (literally Holy Week) began in the 1521 in Spain, it spread throughout Latin America as Spain conquered Central and South America over the course of the next few centuries.  This amazing holiday in Spain involves parades, and depending on the city you visit, days of parades.  

These are not your average parades.  They can last anywhere from 4-14 hours and include processions of people in the roles of drummers, mourners, and floats (pasos) that can weigh up to 220 pounds!  The devoted men carrying the floats have the choice to walk barefoot, in memory of the suffering of Jesus.  Additionally, it requires up to 40 men to carry each float, moving in perfect harmony to help support the weight and ensure it doesn't fall.  However, women always carry the float of the Virgin Mary.  These floats are all very special, as some of them are decades or centuries old.

And yes, the infamous pointed hats are seen in every parade.  But NO, they are NOT KKK hats.  In fact, these costumes were around centuries before the idea of the KKK was born.

 These "nazarenos" (people of Nazareth) believe that being completely covered except for slits for their eyes de-emphasize the human and bring the focus back to the parade, the float being carried, the music, and the purpose of the parade itself.  

Overall, it's a very moving parade.  The music is wonderful and the costumes elaborate.  Definitely a "must see" at some time during your life if possible.

Long Standing Rivalry

I have struggled with something girls have struggled with for eons, and I will not be the last.  An eating disorder.  It has been a 10 year battle, some periods I seem valiant and in control, and others I completely fail to even make it to the court.


Tonight was one of those really close games.  I won, but it was a close match.  I've been good too, for the last 3 months, but those urges are a daily battle and tonight all I wanted to do was binge.  So annoying.  I knew I was doing it too, but I couldn't find the stop button.  I found everything - vanilla chocolate almond ice cream bars, cereal, peanut butter.....it was awful.  My only saving grace was this momentary snapshot on Real Housewives of New York City when Bethenny talked about her book, and I ran to the internet to look it up and - low and behold - her book is called Naturally Thin.  I read a quick excerpt and luckily for me it snapped me out of my binge-trance.  I decided to drive for a while, stopped and walked around Borders, and managed to re-center myself before giving into the eating disorder trap.  I felt very proud of myself by the time that whole incident passed.


This topic totally isn't uplifting, I know, but I am doing better.  In part of my decision to get better in the last few years, I wrote a book about the experience.  It's a 3-month fictional snapshot, but totally based on my life.  I'm in the process of publishing it right now, and it has proven good for me.  I forced myself t deal with a lot of the issues, and I want to bring awareness to bulimia.  But. . . I wanted to do it in a way that was accessible and fun to read.  I'm really excited about it, because it has an undercurrent of humor below the real-life drama.  I will keep you all posted about the book and the publishing process!  Hopefully you can learn from my mistakes, and I am happy to share them with you.